Moana is an outer coastal suburb in the south of

Adelaide Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a States and territories of Australia, state in the southern central part of Australia. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories by area, which in ...

. The suburb is approximately 36.4 km from the Adelaide city centre. It lies within the

City of Onkaparinga The City of Onkaparinga () is a local government area (LGA) located on the southern fringe of Adelaide, South Australia. It is named after the Onkaparinga River, whose name comes from ''Ngangkiparinga'', a Kaurna word meaning women's river. It ...

local government area A local government area (LGA) is an administrative division of a country that a local government is responsible for. The size of an LGA varies by country but it is generally a subdivision of a federated state, state, province, division (politica ...

, and neighbours the suburbs Seaford,

Maslin Beach Maslin Beach is a southern coastal suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. It is located in the City of Onkaparinga. The name refers to the town of ''Maslin Beach'', the beach after which it was named and the suburb which contains both. In this ...

, Seaford Rise and Port Noarlunga It is divided into two by Pedler Creek and the associated sand dune reserve. The beach is often referred to as Moana Beach. Ochre Point lies between Moana and Maslin Beach. Ochre Cove, or Red Ochre Cove, lies just south of the point. There is a large deposit of

red ochre Ochre ( ; , ), iron ochre, or ocher in American English, is a natural clay earth pigment, a mixture of ferric oxide and varying amounts of clay and sand. It ranges in colour from yellow to deep orange or brown. It is also the name of the col ...

near the cove, which was used as a source by the

traditional owners Native title is the set of rights, recognised by Australian law, held by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups or individuals to land that derive from their maintenance of their traditional laws and customs. These Aboriginal title rig ...

, the

Kaurna people The Kaurna people (, ; also Coorna, Kaura, Gaurna and other variations) are a group of Aboriginal people whose traditional lands include the Adelaide Plains of South Australia. They were known as the Adelaide tribe by the early settlers. Kau ...

. The cove was known as Potartang, also spelt Putatang, or Mulgali (the latter the

Ngarrindjeri The Ngarrindjeri people are the traditional Aboriginal Australian people of the lower Murray River, eastern Fleurieu Peninsula, and the Coorong of the southern-central area of the state of South Australia. The term ''Ngarrindjeri'' means "belo ...

word for

ochre Ochre ( ; , ), iron ochre, or ocher in American English, is a natural clay earth pigment, a mixture of ferric oxide and varying amounts of clay and sand. It ranges in colour from yellow to deep orange or brown. It is also the name of the colou ...

), is a site of significance and part of the

Tjilbruke Tjilbruke (also Tjirbruki, Tjilbruki, Tjirbruke, Tjirbuk or Tjirbuki,) is an important creation ancestor for the Kaurna people of the Adelaide plains in the Australian state of South Australia. Tjilbruke was a Kaurna man, who appeared in Kaurn ...

Dreaming Trail.

History

Moana is located on the traditional lands of the Kaurna people. Red Ochre Cove ( Tindale's Ochre Cove) was a source of ochre for use in

ceremonies A ceremony (, ) is a unified ritualistic event with a purpose, usually consisting of a number of artistic components, performed on a special occasion. The word may be of Etruscan origin, via the Latin . Religious and civil (secular) ceremoni ...

and as

body paint Body painting is a form of body art where artwork is painted directly onto the human skin. Unlike tattoos and other forms of body art, body painting is temporary, lasting several hours or sometimes up to a few weeks (in the case of mehndi or "he ...

. There is a

commemorative plaque A commemorative plaque, or simply plaque, or in other places referred to as a historical marker, historic marker, or historic plaque, is a plate of metal, ceramic, stone, wood, or other material, bearing text or an image in relief, or both, ...

marking the site of the third

freshwater spring A spring is a natural exit point at which groundwater emerges from an aquifer and flows across the ground surface as surface water. It is a component of the hydrosphere, as well as a part of the water cycle. Springs have long been important fo ...

said to be created by the Kaurna ancestor creator Tjilbruke, as part of the Tjilbruke Dreaming Track created in 1986. After

British colonisation of South Australia British colonisation of South Australia describes the planning and establishment of the colony of South Australia by the British government, covering the period from 1829, when the idea was raised by the then-imprisoned Edward Gibbon Wakefield ...

, settlers started farming the area, from about 1841. In the 1850s a local landowner lent his name to the beach and it became known as Dodd's Beach. In 1855, when shipping was the primary means of cargo transport in the area, ''Nashwauk'' was wrecked on the beach near the Pedler Creek outlet. Due to an increased interest in tourism in the area, in 1927 the land was subdivided by Lake Beach Estate Ltd who held a competition to name the new town. Mr C.H. Cave won the competition with "Moana", which is a Polynesian-term meaning "ocean". The land was divided into blocks of land suitable for holiday homes and wide streets were planned and laid out, but due to the

Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...

in 1929 development of the area was slow. In the 1950s Moana experienced renewed interest from tourism as the residents of Adelaide enjoyed the freedom and mobility of car ownership – Moana was a pleasant 40-minute drive from Adelaide. One of the landmarks of the area was the Moana Roundhouse,Moana Roundhouse
/ref> which was demolished in 2006.

Beach front

The

Gulf St Vincent Gulf St Vincent, sometimes referred to as St Vincent Gulf, St Vincent's Gulf or Gulf of St Vincent, is the eastern of two large inlets of water on the southern coast of Australia, in the state of South Australia, the other being the larger Sp ...

beach front at Moana is a combination of low cliffs, sand dunes, and hard compacted sand. The beach at Moana is accessible by normal passenger vehicles and is one of the few beaches where cars are allowed to drive onto the beach.

Geography

Moana is a seaside suburb. It is divided into two by Pedler Creek and the associated sand dune reserve. The northern part of the Moana is referred to as the "old survey Moana" and the southern housing development as the "new survey". There is a large deposit of red ochre near Red Ochre Cove, sometimes referred to as Serpent's Tongue. The

Coast to Vines rail trail The Coast to Vines rail trail is a rail trail in the Australian state of South Australia following the course of the disused Willunga railway line in the southern suburbs of Adelaide. It is open to pedestrians and cyclists, and runs for 34 ...

passes through Moana. There was a station at Moana on the former Marino- Willunga rail line that it follows.

Transport

Moana is serviced by the 741, 745, 747, 749 and 750 bus routes which terminate at the

Colonnades Shopping Centre Colonnades Shopping Centre is a shopping centre in Adelaide, South Australia. It is located in the suburb of Noarlunga Centre, on a large allotment of land with access from Goldsmith Drive, Beach Road and Burgess Road. It is the second largest ...

and

Noarlunga Centre railway station Noarlunga Centre railway station is a railway station on the Seaford railway line, Seaford line, and for almost 36 years (April 2, 1978 - February 23, 2014) it was the terminus of the line. Situated in the southern Adelaide suburb of Noarlunga ...

Attractions

Moana has a sandy beach with beginner

surfing Surfing is a surface water sport in which an individual, a surfer (or two in tandem surfing), uses a board to ride on the forward section, or face, of a moving wave of water, which usually carries the surfer towards the shore. Waves suita ...

waves, so is popular with families. Moana Surf Life Saving Club patrols the beach in summer and has a beachfront cafe called Duke's, named after the Hawaiian surfer who visited Australia and helped popularize the sport. Deep Blue Cafe, expanded from the original small kiosk, is opposite the surf club. There is a playground between them next to grassed and barbecue areas. Further shops in the suburb include a

fish and chip shop A fish and chip shop, sometimes referred to as a chip shop or chippy, is a restaurant that specialises in selling fish and chips. Usually, fish and chip shops provide takeaway service, although some have seating facilities. Fish and chip shop ...

and health food shop. A monthly market is held at the Pioneer's Memorial Hall, which has an anchor from the Nashwauk shipwreck in front. Moana is one of the last beaches in Adelaide where a vehicle can be driven onto the beach and parked legally, so becomes a popular tourist destination in good weather. Takeaway food options make it a destination on summer nights. In 2008 the foreshore area of "old survey" Moana has undergone redevelopment by the local council, with improvements to the road, walkway, and sea wall. A new toilet block and shaded "gazebo", the latter shaped in the form of a seagull, have been added to the foreshore area. On warm nights this foreshore area can become a site where

buskers Street performance or busking is the act of performing in public places for gratuities. In many countries, the rewards are generally in the form of money but other gratuities such as food, drink or gifts may be given. Street performance is pr ...

perform for passers by, or people draw chalk

mandalas A mandala (, ) is a geometric configuration of symbols. In various spiritual traditions, mandalas may be employed for focusing attention of practitioners and adepts, as a spiritual guidance tool, for establishing a sacred space and as an aid ...

. A sloping ramp at the north end of the foreshore that originally provided access to the beach was damaged by erosion of the cliffs during storm activity in 2007. Several ramps and a staircase provided beach access along the cliff and esplanade. Access infrastructure to the beach continues to be impacted by storm surges increasing in frequency due to

climate change Present-day climate change includes both global warming—the ongoing increase in Global surface temperature, global average temperature—and its wider effects on Earth's climate system. Climate variability and change, Climate change in ...

, requiring council maintenance and repair. The Willunga Basin Trail now extends to Moana Beach along Pedler Creek, catering to walkers and hikers. Threatened species such as the

hooded plover The hooded plover or hooded dotterel (''Charadrius cucullatus'') is a species of bird in the family Charadriidae. It is endemic to southern Australia, where it inhabits ocean beaches and subcoastal lagoons. Taxonomy The hooded plover was Species ...

nest in the dunes, attracting bird watchers, though chicks' survival is threatened by

dog walking Dog walking is the act of a person walking with a dog, typically from the dog's residence and then returning. Leashes are commonly used for this. Both owners and pets receive many benefits, including exercise and companionship. Description Dog ...

and vehicles driving near the dunes.

References

External links

City of Onkaparinga: Moana
{{City of Onkaparinga suburbs Suburbs of Adelaide Australian places named after U.S. places or U.S. history